By: Sean Moylan Sports Writer
Five years ago a prominent high school soccer coach of 20 plus years, who shall remain nameless, killed off some time waiting for his daughter by watching a local soccer match.
Not one to be easily impressed, the longtime head coach was mesmerized by the unbelievable skill and ability of one the players he saw on the field that afternoon and he remarked, “I saw a great player today with potential college ability. Someone said her name was Laura Greb. And the funny thing is I believe she’s only in the eighth grade.”
Laura Greb was never a very well-kept secret. When she arrived at Robbinsville High four years ago, Greb came with the maturity and talent of a full-blown all-star varsity soccer player. Five minutes into games, opposing coaches who hadn’t scouted the Ravens and weren’t aware of Greb’s uncanny athleticism, would direct their best defenders to mark her.
Furthermore, after Greb netted all four goals in a 4-0 win over David Brearley in the NJSIAA Group I Central Jersey finals, it came as no surprise when Gateway Regional High sent one of its best defenders to mark Greb in the semifinals. Perhaps, they should have defended her with two players.
With 2:38 left in the first half, Greb converted a gorgeous Carina Fleming cross into an all-important second goal for the Ravens, who then all but coasted to a 3-0 semifinal victory over Gateway at Toms River South High on November 18th.
“Greb was not double teamed. They played her tough, but nothing she couldn’t handle,” noted Robbinsville head varsity soccer coach Karen DeRossett, a favorite to win the CVC Coach of the Year award this season.
Actually the main reason Gateway wasn’t able to cover Greb with two fullbacks is Robbinsville simply has too many offensive weapons at its disposal — including Fleming, Gavy Kaplan and a budding young star named Kari Nickels — for any team to do that.
In fact, in the match against Gateway, it was Nickels who gave Robbinsville a 1-0 lead with a hustle goal off a Fleming feed.
“The first two goals came about because of hard work and team work. The girls were able to come down the sides, cross it, and we were able to finish it. Carina Fleming sent the first one over where Nickels shot it, it was deflected and then she blasted it again past the goalie,” said DeRossett, who has been very happy with Nickels’ play this season.
“Kari Nickels is a freshman that is a very versatile player. She started in the midfield and then I switched her to defense and now she’s back in the midfield. She is very talented and can play pretty much any position. She has a great touch on the ball and excellent game sense. She is a very consistent player and I mean consistently great. I know wherever I put her on the field she will get the job done.”
There where just six minutes and thirty-two seconds left on the clock when Gavy Kaplan, who is one of the coolest players in the CVC to watch with the ball, ended any suspense as to which team would win the game.
“The third goal was an unassisted goal by Gavy Kaplan. It was a great goal from about 20 yards out. She blasted it in from the corner and it knicked the goal post and went in,” said DeRossett.
Robbinsville is hardly a one-dimensional team, however. And going into the Gateway game it had used its phenomenal team defense to completely shut down its first two opponents, Point Pleasant Beach and David Brearley 9-0.
With no time to scout Gateway between playoff games, DeRossett used information she discovered on the internet to set up her defense just the way she like it for the game.
“We found out number eighteen, Devon Doyle, was their big player and to watch out for her. Therefore, we put Nicole Hornberger, one of our best marking backs, on her. Nicole stepped up to the challenge and did an incredible job,” said DeRossett.
“Our defense is incredible and I think that’s what helps our offense to be so spectacular. We have Nicole Sandusky in the middle, who wins the majority of the balls in the air and who is a tough, strong player. We then have Amanda Douglass and Nicole Hornberger on the sides, who both have amazing speed. And if that fails we have Danielle Douglass in the back, who has incredible speed and a great awareness of the game.”
Robbinsville took 22 shots on goal while holding Gateway to just six shots. Ravens’ goalie Mary Jane Seiler, who didn’t surrender a single playoff goal, stopped all six Gateway shots to earn her 11th shutout of the year.
“Mary Jane Seiler is an incredible goalie. She has tremendous flexibility and quick reflexes. She does an amazing job, not only as a keeper but, also in motivating the girls and keeping the defense on their game. She is a leader on the field,” DeRossett noted.
In the end, Gateway was no match for the Ravens, whose tough schedule hardened them for the playoffs.
“I think going against all the schools in the CVC, big or small, is great for us when it comes to leading up to the states. All the teams are great and when you play against great teams it only makes you better. So as tough as it is being in the CVC, I am thankful we have those teams during the season to compete against,” said DeRossett.
There is no doubt that Greb has been an amazing player with remarkable abilities for a long time. But one can truly say the same thing about several of the Ravens’ players. Some of these girls played like veterans before Robbinsville even had a varsity team. That’s what makes this group so special. And that is why they’re champions.

